Iron Frog Tavern, Simsbury

I had the best meal out that I have had in a very long time at the Iron Frog. I ordered the short rib with polenta and asked for coleslaw instead of turnip. There was a bed of polenta with the coleslaw on top with the meat on that. The meat was fabulous and the coleslaw gave a great crunch to the creamy polenta. Hit the Iron Frog and ask for it. It's tremendous! Let's get the coleslaw to be part of the dish!

I'll add a link to their  website.

Happy New Year everyone! - Jim

Ratatouille

What I like so much about this dish is that each veggie retains its own shape and flavor. Too often I find ratatouille to be a combination resulting in mush. Enjoy hot or cold.

Ratatouille

This is not a quick dish to make, but the outcome is great!  It can be made the day before and actually improves with reheating.

1 lb eggplant

1 lb zucchini

1 tsp salt

4 TBS Olive Oil

½ lb (about 1 ½ cups) thinly sliced yellow onion

1 sliced yellow pepper

1 sliced green pepper

2 cloves garlic, diced fine

1 lb firm, ripe, red tomatoes, peeled, seeded and juiced

Salt and pepper

3 TBS minced parsley

Peel the eggplant and cut into lengthwise slices 3/8 inch thick, about 3 inches long and 1 inch wide. Scrub the zucchini, slice off the two ends and cut similarly to the eggplant. Place the veggies in a porcelain, glass or stainless steel bowl and toss with the salt. Let stand for 30 minutes. Drain. Dry each slice with paper towels.

One layer at a time, sauté the eggplant and zucchini in hot olive oil until lightly brown; about 1 minute per side.  Set aside.

In the same skillet, cook the onions and peppers slowing in olive oil for about 10 minutes, or until tender but not browned. Stir in the garlic and season to taste.

Slice the tomato pulp into 3/8-inch strips. Lay them over the onions and peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the skillet and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, or until tomatoes have begun to render their juice. Uncover, baste the tomatoes with the juices, raise the heat and boil for several minutes, until juice has almost entirely evaporated.

Place a third of the tomato mixture in the bottom of a Dutch oven and sprinkle over it 1 TBS of parsley.  Arrange half of the eggplant and zucchini on top, and then half of the remaining tomatoes and parsley. Put in the rest of the eggplant and zucchini, and finish with the remaining tomatoes and parsley.

Cover the casserole and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Uncover and season if necessary.  Raise the heat slightly and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes more, basting several times, until juices have evaporated leaving a spoonful or two of flavored olive oil. Be careful not to burn the vegetables.

Set aside uncovered. Reheat slowly at serving time or serve cold.

A Great Wine!

If you like red wine, try The Dreaming Tree, Crush.  Crush is a California blend that is a great value under $20. It's a collaberation of Dave Matthews (from DMB) and Steve Reeder. I know at least one person out there who likes Dave Matthews Band and good wine!

Apple-Cranberry Sauce

This is amazingly easy. Though I haven't tried it yet, I bet it cans well.

Apple-Cranberry Sauce

1 pound cranberries, fresh or frozen

1 cup apple cider

1/3 cup granulated sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

In a saucepan, combine the cranberries, cider and sugars. Simmer until the cranberries begin to burst and the sauce thickens, 12 to 15 minutes.

Tips: 

-          This is SO easy to make and so good, I can’t imagine buying it in a can again after I discovered this.

-          I use dark brown sugar but I tend to always do that when brown sugar is called for.

-          I use fresh berries when available. 

Chocolate Berry Bars

My friends Linda and Gina asked for this recipe today so I wanted to post it. Another great recipe from my neighbor Kim. Sorry for the blurry picture. I'd take another but they are being consumed at a party at this very moment! Enjoy.

Chocolate Berry Bars

2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs

½ cup butter (one stick)

1 cup plain granola cereal

1 ¾ cup (10 oz pkg) 53% cocoa dark chocolate chunks (separated)

1 cup dried cranberries, blueberries or cherries

1 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Melt butter and stir into cracker crumbs. Stir well and press into ungreased 9”X13” pan.

Layer granola, 1 ¼ cup of the chocolate chunks, dried fruit and almonds over graham cracker crust. Drizzle sweetened condensed milk over almonds.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until brown and bubbly around the edge. Cool completely on wire rack.

Microwave remaining ½ cup chocolate in small, heavy duty plastic storage bag on high for 30-45 seconds; knead until smooth. Cut a tiny corner from bag and squeeze to drizzle over top of pan.

Refrigerate overnight if possible. Cut into bars.

 

Tips:  - Any dark chocolate will do and chips work fine if you can’t find the chunks.

            - To toast the almonds I put them in a pan with a little oil on the cooktop and cook until barely brown.